The Pharisees majored on minors. They made a big issue of of something small and ignored what was of greater importance.
They said if you swear by the alter, that was not serious but if you swore by the gift on the alter, that was very serious.
They were blind and didn't realise that the alter was greater than the gift since it was the one which sanctified the gift.
Do you make a big issue of of small things and ignore the most important things?
They gave tithes of little things growing in their gardens but forsook justice, mercy and faithfulness. These should be first.
Their order of priorities were wrong.
They removed a fly from the tea but swallowed camels. that is they saw the small sins of others with a microscope but didn't see their own sins which were very obvious.
Do you see the small sin of others but see nothing wrong with you? If you see nothing wrong with you that means you are already become like Christ and you know you are just deceiving yourself. you are a blind Pharisee
They cleaned the outside of a cup but inside was greed and self-indulgence.
They were to first clean inside and then the outside would be clean.
They looked beautiful outside but inside they were dead mens bones with all soughts of impurities.
Outside they looked righteous but inwardly they were hypocrites and lawlessness.
They were very careful how they acted before men to have a reputation of righteous people but ignored God who saw their inner wickedness and their private sins.
If you are more concerned about the picture you portray before others; that is the opinions of men, that the picture that God sees in your heart and in your private life, you are a hypocrite. You are a Pharisee. Repent. You are a worshipper of another god called the opinions of men
Here we see about having first things first. And cleaning inside of ourselves must be first.
_2Cor 7:1_ and _1John 3:3_ says that we should cleanse ourselves. _1Cor 11:31_ says that if we judge ourselves rightly, we will not be judged.
If we want to be freed from Pharisism, the first thing we need to do is to stop judging others and instead judge ourselves right. Judging ourselves must not be on the outside, how we dress, whether we have matched our clothes, but it must be in the inside.
Asking questions like, the way I spoke to that person, was it right? Did I hurt them with the way I spoke, and if yes I apologise.
Was their selfishness in the way I acted?
What is my motive of doing what I am doing? Am I trying to impress men? Am justifying myself and trying to show that I was not wrong?
What are my attitudes towards someone?
If Jesus was there, could I have spoken the way I did even if I was provoked?
Could I acted the way I did if Jesus was physically present?
> When you start judging and cleansing yourself from the inside, you realise that there so many things wrong with you which you need to set right and you will instead of judging others be merciful unto them. It will be very hard for you to judge others if you are constantly judging yourself; instead you will be a very compassionate person.
Live before God's face everyday....that is to be constantly aware that God is watching you in everything you do or speak, he sees your thoughts, motives and attitudes and thus will want his recommendation or approval and what people say about you will be none of your business. What God thinks or says about you will be very important.
> Decide from now on that God's first project is ME and he is trying to break me and mould me so that he can use me. But if I shift my focus to look at others, there will be nothing or very little that God will be able to accomplish through me.
You are blessed to be a blessing
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@ _blessedmambo_
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